Cooling system for beverage dispensing apparatus



vOCL 11, 1932. W, E LE||NG 1,881,725

COOLING `SYSTEM FOR BEVERAGE DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 19,i 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l fmII/,inn una!!! Il ufff- Suventor Orneg Oct. 11, 1932. w. E. LExBlNG l 1,881,725

COOLING SYSTEM FOR BEVERAGE DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 19, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 Patented Oct. 11, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE L WILLIAM: E. LEIBING, OF SAUSALITO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO LYON-MAGNUS INCOR- PORATED, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE COOLING` SYSTEM FORl BEVERAGE DISPENSING APPARATUS Application led February 19, 1930. Serial N o. 429,686.

This invention relates to ajcooling system,v

for beverage dispensing apparatus in which the beverage passes through containers orV pipes, which are immersed in a cooling bath to maintain the beverage dispensed at a der; at one point with means for maintaining the:

sired temperature.

In the dispensing of b everages, it is the usual practice to pass the pipe for the beverage through a cooling bath that is provided passes may be maintainedat a low temperature, it is usually desirable that the liquid Y for the night, the bath will be continuously bath be circulated in some manner, since it is found that otherwise the temperature thereof will be relatively low adjacent the cooling unit, while the temperature of the bath adj acent the dispensing pipe will bevcomparatively high.

tempts have been made to provide a circulating means for the cooling bath of the above described apparatus, but such attempts have been only partially successful in accomplishing the desired results, and have usually had serious defects in their operation.- In vone form of such proposed circulating means, a small electric pump, provided in the bath, is constantly driven to maintain a circulationfof .the bath. This apparatus is expensive to install andexpensive to operate, and has a defect in operation in that if the attendant fails'to cut oif the circulating pump when the soda fountain or the like Vis closed circulated during the period when there is no dispensing liquid passing through the pipes,

and, therefore, no means to give up heat to the bath, and the refrigerating unit will thus continue to operate and the liquid in the dispensing pipe may become frozen so that the pipes will break.

A primary object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a cooling system for dispensing beverages in which the bath surrounding the pipes of the dispensing apparatus is maintained at a uniformly low temperature by agitation and circulation in directaccordance with, and in proportion to, the amount of liquid dispensed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a circulating and agitating means for the bath of a dispensing apparatus, which is simple and inexpensive to install, and which does not require any specially supplied source of energy, such as electric current for operating the same.

In the modern soda fountain, as built today, it is also customary to provide a cooling bath, through Vwhich the pipes for the liquid to be dispensed pass, with a mechanical cooling unit immersed in said bath for cooling f the same. Usually the various syrups for the drinks dispensed at the fountain are positioned in small containers adjacent the top of the soda fountain for ready access. It is very desirable that these syrup containers be also cooled, but due to the fact that the syrup y, containers are positioned well above the usual To avoid this undesirable condition atcooling bath, the problem of cooling them has been found to be a troublesome one. In some instances, cooling coils from the refrigerating unit have been passed through the bath in which the bottoms of the syrup containers are immersed for cooling the same, but such apparatus is expensive to install and is also relatively ineiiicient to operate.

Another ob-'ect of this invention, therefore, is to provide a soda fountain, wherein a plurality ,of syrup containers are positioned adjacent the top of the fountain, with simple and linexpensive means associated therewith for cooling the syrup containers.

Another object of this invention is to provide a soda fountain, having a plurality'of syrup containers, with simple and inexpensive means whereby the cooling bath, vnormalmotor operatedv by the flow through said pipe.

Another object of this invention is to provide a soda fountain having embodied therein an easily installed device, which has substantially no upkeep expense, for agitating the cooling bath surroundingthe dispensing pipe in1accordance with the amount of iuid dispensed, and Vfurther having meansror circulatinga portion'` of the cooling bath.

around the syrupcontainers for 'maintaining said containers at a desired temperature.'

These and various further objects of the invention will be apparent from the 'following description and from the accompanying claims, when taken in connection with the drawings wherein- Y 2 f Figurel is a cross-section of a cooling kbath for the pipes otra' dispensing beverage ap;

paratus with one embodiment of my-novelL agitating means therein. v

' -F igure l2- is anfelevation lof the agitator shown in Figure l'with the cover 'thereotref i moved.

F igure 3 is'a sectionl Online 3-3`of Figure 2. 1

F igure liis 'a cross'section of a soda ouir.

tain showing another embodiment of my iniproved agit'aftoi'V for the bath, with novel means fo'r cooling the syrup containers thereof. I

Figure -is a lsectional view of the combined the soda fountain' of Figure 4, and 'l Figuren ifs' asection' on' line 6- 6` of Fig- V agitator fand circulating' pump asused witl'i'I Referring to F igurel 1, have illustrated 'an apparatus lfor 'dispensing beverages of vany' nature vsuchv as orangeade, lemonade, root beer,

or carbonated or plain water. As illustratedl therefaretwo pipes 1 or'the liquids to be dispensed, sections of which extend into and` arefimnersedinthe cooling bath V2 said pipes' being l'cc'innect'ed to tanks 3 whichcontain the liq'iii'dsto befdisp'ensed, and which are connect- @dat their ylower ends'bypipes 4 with a source osup'ply ci the liquid. lt'wilhjof course,`be' understood 'tha-t'the invention is notlimited te the Vuse of two'dispensingpipesiwithin the" bath, ysince one orany number of such pipes may be used. Also, it will-be understoodrthat the dispensingliq'ui'ds'may pass through a coil positioned within lthe bath instead'o passing tiirough'the tanks '3l The'bath 2 is positioned within a'receptacle having the outer and iii- 4 ner wallsl preferably covered with lieatrinf sulating material l6 'of any character.

j '.n automatically controlled mechanical refrigerating unit 7 is positioned Vwithin the bat-h2 and has dependingpipes 8 thereon with Ythe Y'cooling'ins'Q associated therewithl This mechanical Vreirigerating unit vmay be lelectri'f cally lor mechanically operated. The Ycoils 8 and fthe iins 9 thereof extract"y the h`eat`fromthe surrounding bath-in known manner. It is found that the dispensing pipes 1, andthe casting 12 having threaded ends 13 for attacliinent to the pipe line 1,fthere being a passage-way 14: through each of the threaded portions 13 and casting 12, said passage-way being connected at a tangent to a circular chamber within casing 15. The .casing lis shown as being Jtermedintegrally with the casting '12, and, as .seenin Figure 3. it is oset'froin'` the aXisof the passage-way 14. Casingl is'provided with an annular iiange lfor the reception of a cover plate 17 secured thereto by retaining bolts 18, vwith a gasket nterposed therebetween.

The casing' 15 has an outstanding lcentrally Y positioned boss 19, and an inwardly extending annular flange 22,` providing a bearing Vfora rotaryr shaft' 23. The cover member 17e-has also a ycentrally positioned'bearing 24.- for the-outer endl of .shaft 23.

vSeci'ired'to rotary shaft 23 and ,positioned within the casii'igl isa` rotor 25. The rotor 25l lext-ei'id's"closely` adjacent the `rim` of Vthe circular casing has' outstanding blades 26 thereon. -V

' The blades 2'6 eXten' into the passage-'way 14 as seenin Figure-,2, whereby flow of the i@ dispensing liquid inthe direction indicated bythe arrow ofFigi-ire'2,`will cause the rotor 25 'to'b'e turned. It will be noted that the pockets in the rotor are of substantially the saine depth 'as thediameter of passage-way 14;, and that theblades 26 are substantially at right angles to the direction of flow, with the result that the rotor'wil-l attain a peripheral-speed substantially equal to the velocity of the dispensing'liquid.' Y

' The shaft"24 has atan 27 onth'eV outer end thereof `that is normally 'immersed in the bath 2te' circulate the'same. A packing28 ispositioned within rthel hub 19 and 'niaintained in liquid .tight engagement against j flange 22 by a Vpacking ring 29 enga-ged bv a"coilspri'ng 3 2 the opposite end of which is engaged yby a packing compression screw threaded into hub 19; The packing compression screw 33has an integral vhub 34 which engages packing ring 29, whereby thepacking 2 8 maybe compressed by rotating'member 33, the spring 32 'always taking up lost motion 'and'. maintaining vthe. pacls'ing tight. The operation 'of my system is'as follows;

th tl'iefref-rigerating unit in operation the coils Shavingfcooling vtins 9 thereonwill generate ifce in the bath 2, as `seen in Figure 1,v H'owev'er."diie `to the fact that the water 151i the bath is a poor conductor of heat, the pipes 1iandtanks 3 for the liquid to be dispensed ymay berelatively warm, andy especially so during rush periods when the liquid is being rapidly dispensed and iiow through pipesl and tanks 3vis almost continuous, unless agi- 4rating means is provided for stirring the bath 2. WVith my agitators connected inthe pipe iines'fl, the rotors 25 will be turned and the agitating fans 27 will be rotated in proportiontothe demands upon the system. During periods ofheavy demand, the bath-2 will` be'v almost continuously agitated and the temperature of the liquiddispensed will be aboutI 38 V1F. at the dispensing valve. when the Vt'emlgieraturefof the entering liquidV is about 70F. It will be obvious that the cas`ting-12 having thefimpellor or rotor could be positioned exterior to the ybath 2 with suitable mechanical connections whereby the agitator Y 27 is within the bath. yAlso, the pipes l may be coiled within the bath instead of being connected to tanks 3 therein.

. In 'Figures 4, 5 and 6 I have shown a system in which a rotor similar to that shown in Figureslfto y3 is used, said rotor being adapted to-drive two separate means for circulating the cooling liquid ofthe bath, one of said means consisting 'of the fanpimrnersed' in the bath, and the other 'ofsai'dfmeans in- -cluding a pump for 'causing the positive circulation of the liquid of said bath. Figure' 4 shows a preferred embodiment of my ap- .paratus in connection with a soda fountain,

but it will be understood that the novel means for causingcirculation and agitation of the" bath may be usedfin various, other forms of apparatus. Referringto Figure 4, the soda.

fountain includes a. refrigerating vunit 7 "having the depending pipes 8 thereon immersed in the bath 2, said bath being enclosed within f walls 32 with suitable insulation'33 surround-` ing the same, and contained within the outer walls 34. the front and top'of which may be marble orfthe like. As isusualin this type of structure` the soda fountain extends upwardly adjacent the front side thereof and a marble top 35 is positioned thereon with the insulation 36 beneath the same.y

As" shown in Figure 4, the fountain has two ytanks 37 therein, one of vwhich may beV used in dispensing plain .water` and the other of which maybe used in dispensingy carbonated water. The tanks 3'? have outlet pipes 38 thereon connected to the liquid supplylines. Said tanks are connected by pipes 39 tothe dispensing nozzles 41, there'being only one pipe39 and one nozzle 41 `shown in Figure 4 .for the sake 'of-fclearne'ss. Positioned at an angle-in the upwardlyextend'- ing portion of the soda fountain are a pluralityfof syrup containers 42, having dispensing nozzles 43 thereonsaid containers extendingat an angle into an auxiliary or* secondary cooling bath 44 in a container y45 positioned abovethe main bath 2. The secondary bath44 is open at its top and extends lengthwise of the fountain, a spider frame work 46 removably supporting the syrup containers 42-'with their lowerends positioned withinthe auxiliary bath'44. A plurality of crushed fruitcontainers 47 may be so positioned that theirlower ends vextend into the main cooling bath 2.

-Due fto the necessity fori conservation of fpensing pipes 39 to provide a-positive circu- .f

lationof Athev coolingA liquid from theI main bath 2 to the secondary bath 44. This mechanismis shown in detail in Figures 5 and G.

A dispensing pipe line 39 has preferably positioned therein acasting 12, `similar to that shown in Figure 2, in which is positioned a rotor having the blades 26 `thereon and,r mounted on the shaft' 23.- Shaft23 extends beyond the open end of the central hub 19 of casing 15 and has secured von' the outer endthereof thewagitating fan 27.-

Removably secured to the hub 19 by a set screw 47`is a pump housing 48. The pump housing 48 is'fla'red outwardly to provide a 'casing 49 and has 'an outstanding annular flange 51 adapted to receive a cover 52,:bolts V53-securing'the coverl52 in fluid-tight engagement with flange 511, with a gasket interposed therebetween. The cover--52'fis provided' with an enlarged central opening 54 through which the sha-ft23 extends, and the hubE 56`fofva' rotor 57- of Aa centrifugal pump is secured to-'shaft 23 by set screw 55. `The rotor 57 has a plurality of blades 58 thereon andthe casing 49 has a threadedoutletkb for the reception 'ofa 'correspondingly threaded pipe. e l

The pump housing 48 has a plurality of openings 61 adj acentthe head 33 ofthe packing 'adjusting screw, 'wherebyaccess may be had to said screw fortightening. the packin gland. `By' the above' described construction it will be'clear that rotation of the rotor by'flow of fiuid in the pipe 39 will cause rotation of the pump'frotor and the fan agitator27.` v

The fan'27 is immersed inthe main bath 2 of the" soda fountain.Y and the outlet 59 ofthe centrifugalV pump is connected 'to a pipe 62 which extends across the bath 2 and has its open; -end positioned ust` above :the secondary bath 44v for discharge into said bath. An 'overflow pipe 63 is connected to thel secondaryfbath. 44,:and extends deWn- Wardly and discharges into the main bathV 2. lVhen taken in connectionwith Figures-1,

i2'and 3, it is believed thatfthe operation of the cooling system shown in VFigures 4 to 6 Will be obvious.

WhenanyV liquid is `dispensed .through vthe pipes 38., .tanks 37, y.pipes Y 39,and1 1ozzles 41,v the rotor 25 will be actuated and the fan agitator 27 Will rotate and the oentrifugalpump' will also berotated.

Liquid vfrom the mainvbath. 2 will thus be sucked into the pump through the opening 54 int-he cover 45 2. and by Way of openings 62 in the casing y49and said liquid willfpass by Way ofv the outlet 59 andpipe 62 into the lsecondary bath 4 4. -vIt will be understood that the. bathr44 yextends longitudinally of the entire-sodaffountain andthe inlet pipe u 62and .the loutlet pipe 63 will communicate therewith at opposite ends. Therefore, cool,- ing liquid-.from the main bath 2 which has been Vrefrigerated by the refrigerating "unit f 7 Will be `circulated to lthe auxiliary bath44 to kmaintain the vsyrupfcontainers 42Aat .a def 'siredf temperature. Simultaneouslythe vmain bath2vvill be .maintained at aconstant and even temprature by rotation ofthe agipatng, fan 27.,.1f` .v

Although I 12 inthe main-bathh2 (if-.Figure 4 for `-the sakeY of'clearness, it will be understood that such casting With the agitator and pump associated therewith may-be' positioned in each..

dispensingpipe 39. Y

A.Thus it will be -seenthat the apparatus shown in Figures 4 to 6 vprovides a dual means for vmaintainingthe bathat a constant temperature. The yrotary anf27 operatesas previously'described` in connection with Figures l to?) and the centrifugal pump'V 57 furtherxoperates toprovide a positive circulationof the liquid of the bath y2.V v,In [some installations it maybe founddesirable'to provideonly one of these dual circulating means,

' infwhich' case' .the .agitatin-g fan 27 maybe andy Will thus be maintained atgan even temfountain is to ,be used. it L will generally be found-desirable to provideboth types .ofjV

agitating and `circlilating` means for the .have shown only one casting ...besmet With my apparatus connected as above described, the danger; 1- o i...il freezing the yentire system during over-night. rest. periods. .is eliminatedsince the bath water 2iis circulated indirect proportion-m theamount of f* liquiddispensed and is not actuated when no liquid is dispensed. Thereforethe temperature of ythe-bath 1adjacent .the vdispensing .pipes .is notglowered belowfreezing bya continual circulation Ywhen no liquidjis beingdispensed` and maximum circulationstak'es place duringvmaximum .demand periods.

f l'lheinvention .may be Yembodied in .other `specific .forms .Without departing from the sp1rit or essential characteris-tics...thereof; The present embodiment is 'therefore .tobe

considered *in vrespects as; illustrative" and not restrictive, the scope .ofthe'i'nvention bei ingl indicated by the appendedclaims rather Vthan by the-foregoing descriptiomgandall changes Whichcome vvithinthe meaning and range oiequivalency, of theclaims are vthere- "fore intended to be embraced therein.

What I claim'and desire to-.securezby I United StatesLetters Patentis L .In a -liquid dispensing apparatus,

ing bath, means-conducting liquid. tobe di:.

'pensed, andi-means oper-able in responseto. jfirst named means flow ofliquid through sai for agitating saidlbath. ,.H l:V l 2. .The .inventiong' as..defined.in clfai1n. l,

lwherein saidsecond means finclndes a rOtDl;

operated by: flowfof `said-liquid.

The inventioneasv-deined;in claim4 whereinv said means. for' conducting the liquid includes` a y pipe, and said second means includes .a rotor operated..b57 passageof .liq-.l uid through said pipe, and blades within said.y

bath connected' toandgrotated by said rotor:`

4. Inaliquid dispensingappara-tus,acool,A v f ingj bath,. a pipe line for conducting theli'q- Vuid to be dispensed, said pipeflinebeingpar tially immersed in said bath, a vca singcon-i nectedl in-said pipe line 'and having rotor therein for rotation :byjthe new; in saidfpipe.

line, a shaft. connected'to.,said;rotor,v and an agitator immersed in said bath-.andoperated by said shaft. v` I 5. TheV invention as .defined in .claim 4j wherein an automatically operated anjd con- 1;. trolled refrigeratingi unit.. is immersed 1in: saidbath.l @j jfy if. -g

16, In a liquidfdispensing apparatus,a cool;- ing bath, means for.conductingv liquid to bei dispensed, :said 'means being partially im. mersed in said'bath, and dual bath agitatingl meansV operable.inresponse to flow of liquid'; through said liquid conductingmeans, .oneof; .said means.. agitatingv said bath,l andy :the other of said means.causingapositive circufV lation thereof; 5

7 In a liquid dispensing Y cooling bath, means `in said'bathtor conducting liquid tobe dispensed, .asecondary fcool-f .f mgba'th and means 'Opelableiniresponse teli* How of liquid through said first named means :for causing a positive circulation between saidmain bath and said secondary bath.

8. Ina liquid dispensing apparatus, a main cooling bath, a pipe for conducting liquid to be dispensed through a portion of said bath, a secondary cooling bath, a rotor operated in response lto flow of liquid in said pipe, and means connected to said rotor for causing a positive circulation between said main bath and said secondary bath.

V9. The invention as defined in claim 8, wherein an agitator is positioned in said main bath and operated by said rotor.

10. In asoda fountain, a main cooling bath, a refrigerating unit therein, a pipe line for conducting' liquid to be dispensed through said bath, a plurality of syrup containers, a secondary cooling bath in which said syrup containers are partially immersed, and means operable in response to low of water in said p p pipe line for causing a positive circulation rom said main bath and into said secondary v bath.

env

11. The invention as defined in claim 10 wherein a rotary agitator is immersed in said Y main bath, and said means rotates said agitator. Y

12. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a cooling bath, a pipe line for the liquid` to be dspensed, partially immersed in said bath,

a rotor vpositioned in said pipe line and operated by liquid flow therein, a pump immersed in said bath and operated by said rotor, the inlet and outlet of said pump communicating with said bath atspaced points, and a rotary bath agitating fan immersed in 'said bath and operated by said rotor.

13. The method of cooling liquids to be dispensed comprising immersing the liquid conducting means in a. bath, refrigerating said bath, and agitating said bath by flow of the liquid.

14.` The method of cooling liquids to be dispensed from separated sources from a single bath cooled by a refrigerating unit, which consists in causing the flow of oneof said liquids to simultaneously maintain the temperature substantially uniformy at all points and set upa circulation from said bath to the source relatively remote therefrom.

Intestimony whereof I aiX my signature.

WILLIAM E. LEIBING. 

